Michael Sean Winters

Distinctly Catholic: President Trump announced new HHS rules that give much more robust conscience protections to health care providers, and fighting ensued. A voice of reason in this debate, unsurprisingly, is Daughter of Charity Sr. Carol Keehan, president and CEO of Catholic Health Association.

Distinctly Catholic: Accusations of the pope's heresy show venom, assertions unhinged from reality, and possibly fear that Francis is right.

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Early primary polling is predictive; Offering a defense for Cardinal Tobin; Things look up for Catholic Left

Distinctly Catholic: Unions did not arise because workers had nothing better to do with their time. They arose because ruthless capitalists treated workers like disposable machinery, useful only insofar as they increased the company's bottom line. 

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Des Moines Register plays large role in U.S. politics; electricity storage has political implications

Distinctly Catholic: The newly published book by Gerard O'Connell provides an unprecedented, if unverifiable, inside look at the 2013 conclave that made Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio pope.

Distinctly Catholic: Laudatory but not hagiographic, this new film about Notre Dame's late president chronicles his enormous influence in the latter half of the 20th century.

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Unequal Medicaid in Puerto Rico; polarization in the church and at niche Catholic colleges; is the resurrection a metaphor?

Distinctly Catholic: I was wrong to think that someone like Attorney General William Barr would not misrepresent the findings of the Mueller report. But I wasn't wrong to think that impeachment remains unlikely.

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Washington Post checks the liberties Barr took in describing the Mueller investigation; Trump gives advice to George Washington

Distinctly Catholic: While the roof of Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral was still aflame last week, the interpretations of what this fire meant began to flood the internet and Twitter.

Distinctly Catholic: The symbols of the triduum — the water, the fire, the oils, the words — are powerful, but they are also sacraments, and they point to what is more real than anything we humans can imagine.

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Reconsidering the Pharisees; Elizabeth Warren's GOP days; Columbia bows to Turkish pressure; D-Day and the French spirit.

Distinctly Catholic: Lamentations over the destruction of this magnificent temple of devotion to the Mother of God were as heartfelt as they were appropriate. As the flames leapt higher and higher, it seemed like a darkness was descending upon the spirit of all who have worshiped within the walls of the cathedral at the heart of Paris.

Distinctly Catholic: Former White House advisor Steve Bannon and others like him are defending the stench, making excuses for the policies which are so obviously opposed to Christian ethics and explicit Catholic teaching, feeding the tyrant and stoking the fear he uses to justify his repugnant policies.

A a recent conference Mark Silk offered a presentation entitled, "Judeo-Christian: From Anti-Fascist to Neo-Fascist." Silk's paper was so smart, I asked permission to publish it here at Distinctly Catholic and Silk graciously agreed. 

Distinctly Catholic: We should entrust theology to theologians for the reasons Franciscan Fr. Dan Horan cites in his latest essay on NCR. One can, without realizing it, start down a road that ends in heresy, and a thoughtful theologian might save you the trip.

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Cupich reaffirms priest after false allegation; democracy means protecting free speech; perinatal hospice care as an alternative to late-term abortion.

Distinctly Catholic: When a friend first sent me Pope Emeritus Benedict's article about the root causes of clergy sex abuse, I thought the text was a hoax. It is full of difficulties, getting so much about the sex abuse crisis wrong.

Distinctly Catholic: EWTN's Raymond Arroyo makes no attempt to appear balanced when discussing the church. His news magazine is a propaganda arm of the anti-Francis, pro-Trump Catholic brigade.